Unexpected Pregnancy

I blinked away the hot tears clouding my vision. My trembling hand instinctively moved to rest protectively over my still-flat belly. Deep in my gut, I inherently knew the harsh truth. Even if I were to lose our unborn baby right here on this floor because of Sylvia's deliberate physical manipulation, Roman would unquestioningly choose to take her side. In his wealthy, distorted world, Sylvia had always come first, and she always would. He would find a twisted way to blame me for the loss, assuming he even wanted the child to begin with.

Lydia broke through my dark, spiraling thoughts. Despite her usual icy demeanor and historical disdain for me, she firmly grabbed my arm. She insisted on getting me immediate medical help, surprisingly determined to do whatever it took to save the baby.

"I am taking you to the hospital right now. We are going to do whatever it takes to save Roman's baby." Lydia stated with uncharacteristic determination.

I wanted to protest and tell her to leave me alone, but my body felt too weak to fight. She guided my sluggish form toward the front door, her grip tight and uncompromising. She opened the backseat door of her sleek luxury sedan and helped me inside. Once she made sure I was safely settled against the leather upholstery, she darted back to the house to lock the front door.

A moment later, she slid into the driver’s seat. She glanced at me through the rearview mirror before starting the engine.

"I am calling Roman now." She announced.

I shook my head to stop her. It was a terrible idea, but my voice failed me. It was already too late. She had swiftly connected her phone to the car's Bluetooth system. The dial tone echoed loudly through the speakers. The line rang endlessly, but Roman ignored every single call. Frustrated, Lydia yanked her wireless earpiece out of her ear and tossed it onto the passenger seat.

The hurried, panicked drive through the city streets felt like a chaotic blur. Lydia navigated the dense traffic with desperate speed, her hands gripping the steering wheel tight. The moment we finally arrived at the emergency entrance of the hospital, she leaped out and shouted for help. Medical staff descended on us in mere seconds. They swiftly rushed me onto a rolling stretcher.

I stared up blankly as the stretcher moved down the corridor. The bright fluorescent lights of the hospital ceiling spun above me in a dizzying frenzy. The urgent voices of the nurses faded into a muffled hum. My vision narrowed until everything plunged into total, suffocating blackness.

When I slowly woke up, the harsh, sterile smell of medical disinfectant flooded my senses. The rhythmic, steady beeping of a heart monitor grounded my scattered mind. I fluttered my heavy eyelids open. Lydia was sitting quietly beside my hospital bed. To my utter shock, she met my gaze with a surprisingly warm, gentle smile. It was a stark contrast to the mockery she usually reserved for me during social events.

"Thank God you are awake. I was starting to get very worried about you." She said softly.

I stared at the clear IV line securely taped to my wrist, my exhausted mind struggling to catch up with reality.

"What happened to me?" I asked, my voice weak and raspy.

"The doctor said it is just the sheer amount of stress your body has been under. It is nothing we cannot manage." She reassured me.

"Stress?" I echoed, confused by her wording.

Lydia leaned forward, her expression turning incredibly serious. "You are pregnant, Valeria. You are exactly three months along."

Instead of the overwhelming, warm joy a mother should naturally feel, a sheer, suffocating panic instantly set in. Three months. My mind frantically raced back to Roman’s strict marriage contract. The typed rules were explicitly clear and non-negotiable. The conception of any children was strictly forbidden. I had no doubt in my mind about his reaction. The very moment he found out about this pregnancy, he would ruthlessly force me to abort the child. It would be his easiest path to wash his hands of me and be with Sylvia without any messy strings attached.

"You do not sound happy at all. You should be thrilled about this news. Even I can support you through this. You just need to say the word, and I will take Roman away from Sylvia. Let me call him right now. He needs to hear this." Lydia frowned, deeply misinterpreting my silent terror.

"Please do not do that." I pleaded.

Lydia ignored my desperate request. She pressed the call button on her phone and immediately activated the speakerphone function.

"I am not telling him about the baby yet, but I am definitely calling him." She insisted.

The line rang. This time, Roman finally picked up.

"Take her to a fucking hospital yourself. I am not a medical doctor. She has premium insurance, so do not bother me about the hospital bills." His deep voice sharply pierced through the quiet room, callous and severely annoyed by the interruption.

"She is already admitted to the emergency room, Roman. At least come down here to check on her and see how she is doing." Lydia argued, her tone laced with disbelief.

"Good. She is in the right place then. I am not her personal shadow. I have no obligation to be by her side twenty-four seven." Roman loudly declared.

"Roman, you really need to—" Lydia tried to reason with him again.

"Listen to me carefully. I only tolerate you because I know how much Damon loves you. The next time you interrupt my day and waste my time, I will not be this nice." He cruelly snapped.

He abruptly and mercilessly ended the call. The dial tone echoed in the sterile room, sealing my fate.

I looked at Lydia. A broken resignation settled heavy in my chest. I gave her a hollow, defeated look.

"I am used to it. You know our marriage is not exactly a regular one." I whispered.

"How can anyone possibly get used to such awful treatment? Nobody deserves to be treated like this. You are way too pretty for this kind of abuse, Valeria." Lydia shook her head, her eyes filled with genuine pity.

"It is just a contract." I muttered.

Lydia pushed her chair back and stood up. "Well, it is a good thing Sylvia is back in town. This can be your clean escape. Listen to me. I do not like you, and we both know that. But this is about basic humanity. I cannot sit back and watch another human being suffer like this, especially not now that you are pregnant. You just heard his reply with your own ears."

"Please just keep this a secret from him." I begged.

"I will keep my mouth shut, but only if you take definitive action." She countered.

"There is nothing I can do." I sighed, feeling trapped.

"You are already three months along. In another month, you will start showing. You need to file for a divorce yourself." She urgently urged.

I stared at her, stunned by the sheer magnitude of her suggestion.

"It is your only real chance to safely protect and save your unborn baby, Valeria." She pressed on.

"But he—" I started to argue.

"He put a massive engagement ring on Sylvia's finger. You saw it." Lydia pointedly reminded me.

My chest tightened painfully. A fresh, hot tear slid down my cheek. She was right. That diamond ring solidified his true intentions. If Roman discovered this secret pregnancy, he would ruin everything for my child.

I wiped my wet face. "I have no money or resources of my own. How am I supposed to do this?"

"I will help you. I have powerful connections in the city. I can get the official divorce papers drafted and ready before the end of the day. You just need to say yes." Lydia offered.

I gently rubbed my flat belly through the thin fabric of the hospital gown. I thought about the fragile life growing inside my womb. Its future depended on the decision I made right now.

Before I could answer, the attending doctor walked into the room. He checked my chart and gave me a very stern look. He calmly explained the severe danger I had been in. He revealed that I had nearly died today due to the sheer amount of stress my body was under, compounded by the physical fall.

"You should thank your friend here. Not only could you have lost the baby, but you could have easily lost your own life as well." The doctor warned.

A profound, newfound anger finally eclipsed my paralyzing grief. I almost died today. I almost lost my baby because of Roman and his toxic obsession with Sylvia. I signed a contract to be his wife, but I never signed up to be killed by him.

I looked at Lydia, my resolve hardening into unbreakable steel.

"Do it. Get the papers." I firmly agreed to her plan.

Lydia wasted no time. She quickly leveraged her legal connections and made a series of rapid phone calls. Once the doctor officially removed my IV line and discharged me, we drove straight to a sleek law office downtown. The finalized divorce documents were handed over to me in a crisp manila envelope.

Later that evening, the house was suffocatingly quiet. I sat still at the head of the long dining table. The thick stack of papers rested near my designated plate. I waited patiently.

The heavy oak front door swung open. Roman casually strolled into the foyer. He cheerfully whistled a familiar tune, sounding like a man who did not have a single care in the world. He walked into the living room and paused. He coldly noticed the dark, dried blood I had left on the hardwood floor from earlier that morning.

"Are you hurt? Why is there blood in the living room?" He called out, his tone carrying no ounce of concern for my health.

"Just a minor cut. It is nothing to worry about." I replied from the dining room.

Roman walked into the dining area, visibly irritated and annoyed.

"Then why the fuck is it still there? Were you waiting for me to scrub it clean?" He aggressively questioned.

He tossed his tailored suit jacket over the back of his chair. Fully expecting his usual warm, home-cooked meal waiting for him, he comfortably sat down at his spot at the table. He confidently lifted the silver cover off his dinner plate.

"Bon appétit." I said to him, my voice devoid of emotion.

Instead of his favorite food, the heavily anticipated divorce documents lay starkly before him on the fine china.

"What the fuck?! Valeria—" He loudly exclaimed, his handsome face contorting in pure shock.

"Did you genuinely expect me to dutifully cook a meal for you after you left me to die alone in the hospital?" I fiercely cut him off.

Roman glared at the thick papers, his jaw clenching tight. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"The phone was on speakerphone when Lydia called you today. I heard every single word of your callous conversation." I dropped the bombshell.

"And so what? Do I look like a fucking doctor to you?" He furiously snapped back.

I rose to my feet, glaring down at him. The timid, heartbroken girl he had walked all over was dead.

"I do not look like a fucking chef either!" I fired back with equal, fiery venom.

I firmly pointed my finger at the stark white documents resting on his plate.

"Those are divorce papers. Sign them immediately. I have already signed my designated portion." I proudly revealed.

He stared at the documents, then back at me, stammering out a deeply confused reply.

"You what?" He muttered, genuinely caught off guard.

I boldly locked my eyes directly with his, refusing to back down even a single inch.

"This toxic marriage is over. I am done with you, Roman. You and Sylvia can finally be together just like you want." I confidently declared.